COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Martine Garland (Toronto, Ontario) and Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) of the second-ranked University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team were named 2008 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 10 Finalists by USA Hockey on Tuesday. Garland was also a Top 10 Finalist last season.

The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award has been presented annually to the most outstanding Division I women’s ice hockey player since its inception in 1998, when UNH’s Brandy Fisher was the inaugural recipient. Eight Wildcats have received a total of 10 Top 10 nominations. In addition to Garland, Carisa Zaban was a two-time nominee (1999 and 2000).

New Hampshire is one of just two institutions with more than one Top-10 Finalist in 2008. Harvard University is the other with Caitlin Cahow and Sarah Vaillancourt. The other six finalists are: Meghan Agosta (Mercyhurst College), Melissa Boal (Wayne State), Tessa Bonhomme (Ohio State), Sabrina Harbec (St. Lawrence), Kim Martin (Minnesota-Duluth) and Gigi Marvin (Minnesota).

Garland, a third-year captain of the Wildcats, ranks ninth in the NCAA in defensemen scoring at 0.75 points per game. She is second in Hockey East defensemen scoring with 21 points (3-18) in 28 games. Garland anchors UNH’s defensive unit and also logs innumerable minutes on the power play and penalty kill, both of which are ranked No. 1 nationally. Despite her amount of ice time, She has been whistled for just one penalty this season.

SAM FABER

Garland, an All-America First Team honoree in 2006, has also been honored as Hockey East Player of the Week (Nov. 19) and USCHO National Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 20) this season.

Off the ice, Garland and Faber have participated in Read Across America as well as walks against breast cancer and autism, and both also speak at local elementary schools and participate in youth clinics.

Faber, the first player in Hockey East history to win consecutive Player of the Month awards (November and December), is currently ranked 10th in the NCAA in goals per game (0.66), 11th in points per game (1.34) and 24th in assists per game (0.69). She is also No. 2 in the NCAA with 11 game-winning goals. Faber ranks second in Hockey East in goals (21) and points (43) as well as fourth in assists (22). She leads the Wildcats in goals, points and plus/minus (+35), and is second in both assists and shooting percentage.

Faber has tallied 17 points (10-7) in 11 games vs. nationally-ranked teams and her other 2008 accolades include Hockey East Player of the Week (Nov. 12, Dec. 17). She was recently named to the U.S. Women’s National Team preliminary roster and was a member of the 2007 U.S. Under-22 National Team.

The award selection process began at the end of January, when NCAA Div. I women’s ice hockey coaches were asked to nominate players for the award. Nominated players were then placed on an official ballot, which was sent back to the coaches to vote for the top-10 finalists.

The top three finalists, including the recipient of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, are chosen by a 13-member selection committee comprised of NCAA Div. I women’s ice hockey coaches, representatives of the print and broadcast media and a representative of USA Hockey, the National Governing Body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States. The 2008 award will be presented March 21 in conjunction with the Women’s Frozen Four in Duluth, Minn.